OK, so yesterday wasn’t officially “Take Your Kids to Work Day” at Panini America. But when duty calls, even during the holiday break, you drop what you’re doing and go. So I packed both Hackler boys with me for the serendipitous sojourn to the Panini America production facility to take in the packout process for 2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition Baseball.

Heck, they even assisted — for a little while anyway — with helping Panini America Brand Manager Mike Payne and Vice President of Production Stephanie Carlson make sure the first packs off the line were delivering the proper amount of hits and autographs.

Every box we opened contained the requisite six autographs and a slew of sweet inserts and parallels. On this day, though, the real fun for the Hacklers (all three of us) came when we ventured out to the production line to see the big machines work their magic. As always, it was like an episode of the Science Channel’s“How It’s Made” come to life.

And when a product like 2011 Donruss Elite Extra Edition is made, it’s must-see entertainment for the entire family, as you’ll see in the following massive 60-image gallery that details just some of the highlights coming to collectors next week when the product hits the streets.

That was interesting. MUCH more interesting than the tour of the Andersen Pretzel Factory in Lancaster, PA, my parents took me on when I was 10.
Thanks for the cool sneak-peak at some of the killer ‘graphs, also.

Love the production line shots! Have no interest in Baseball (i put it in the same category as cricket *Yawns*)but those are some nice looking cards with some great “shinies” as my other half calls them.

Good Day Tracy :-) Hope your Christmas was good :-) I saw on FB that there were six auto’s out of the QC Box. Is that the ratio in this? Six hits to a box? Thanks! And have yourself a GREAT DAY!
PANINI RULES !
Dave